ECHR calls on Turkey to compensate Demirtaş

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) called on Turkey to compensate the former co-chair of the Democratic People's Party Selahattin Demirtaş because he was subjected to violation in terms of freedom of expression in Turkish prisons.

In a decision, the court demanded that Turkey pay 2,000 euros and 1,000 euros of court fees to Demirtaş for violating freedom of expression in Turkish prisons.

Selahattin Demirtaş, former co-chair of the Democratic People's Party, was arrested on suspicion of belonging to the PKK or propaganda following his participation in a program on ROJ TV in 2005 about the isolation imposed on Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan in terms of rights and the role of the leader in resolving the Kurdish issue.

Demirtaş has been in Turkish prisons since November 2016, along with the party's co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ, along with thousands of party members and mayors without legal justification.